IP Library Granted Patent US 7,929,942
Granted Patent B2
US 7,929,942 · App. 11/385,034 · Granted Apr 19, 2011

Completing emergency calls over a network with a malfunctioning backhaul communications link

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,929,942
App. No.
11/385,034
Granted
Apr 19, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and an apparatus are provided for enabling a wireless communication over a network in response to an indication of an emergency. The method comprises causing a base station to provide a wireless backhaul link in an uplink frequency band for further sending a call over the network in response to the call associated with the emergency. Reconfiguration enables turning a base station or base station router into a high power terminal. In this way, emergency calls may be completed over a network having at least one malfunctioning backhaul communications link in a network backbone.

Claims (33)

1. A method of enabling a wireless communication over a network in response to an indication of an emergency, the method comprising:

in response to a call associated with said emergency, causing a base station to provide a wireless backhaul link in an uplink frequency band for further sending said call over said network;

accepting said call and associated information even when said network is being off line;

storing said call and said associated information;

swapping a transmit frequency band with a receiver frequency band to reconfigure the base station into a terminal;

forwarding said call over said wireless backhaul link when a fixed wired backbone network link indicates a malfunction, wherein storing said call further comprises:

detecting whether a link to a backbone network is available; and

if so, uploading information associated with said call using at least one of a satellite connection, a wireless local area network connection, a WiMAX connection, a UMTS link and a CDMA link to another base station having a backhaul connectivity.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:

using a filter to convert a downlink sender of said base station into an uplink sender providing a high-powered terminal that overcomes said malfunction of said fixed wired backbone network link.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 2 , further comprising:

using said filter to cause said base station to use said wireless backhaul link to complete said call instead of using said fixed wired backbone network link.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 3 , further comprising:

enabling a wireless service based on said filter at said base station.

5. A method, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein storing said call further comprises:

storing a voice call on at least one of a local disk and a random access memory.

6. A method, as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:

delivering said call in non-real time using one of said satellite connections, a wireless local area network connection, a WiMAX connection, a UMTS link and a CDMA link to said another base station.

7. A method, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein storing said call further comprises:

reconfiguring said base station to enable a radio frequency terminal for completing said wireless communication.

8. A method, as set forth in claim 7 , wherein reconfiguring said base station further comprises:

using a transceiver at said base station to swap a transmit frequency band with a receiver frequency band.

9. A method, as set forth in claim 8 , wherein reconfiguring said base station further comprises:

enabling a desired cell range of transmit power for said wireless backhaul link using at least one of a CDMA and UMTS protocol based on uplink budget.

10. A method, as set forth in claim 9 , wherein reconfiguring said base station further comprises:

coupling an antenna to said base station with said transmit power; and

increasing said desired cell range based on said transmit power.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the method in said emergency further comprises:

causing said base station to operate in one of a base station mode or a mobile terminal mode based on an indication of frequency change.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 11 , wherein reconfiguring said base station further comprises:

providing all radio frequency related modules in said base station to be frequency agile for enabling said base station to be symmetric in frequency bands.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 12 , wherein reconfiguring said base station further comprises:

supporting at least one of a point-to-point and a point-to-multipoint radio frequency communications.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2014
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG
To: ALCATEL-LUCENT USA INC.
Reel/Frame 033950/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2013
From: ALCATEL-LUCENT USA INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG
Reel/Frame 030510/0627 →
MERGER Recorded Feb 21, 2011
From: LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: ALCATEL-LUCENT USA INC.
Reel/Frame 025836/0834 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2006
From: SCHEFCZIK, PETER; FISCHER, GEORG
To: LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 017520/0683 →